Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 204, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1916 — If the Boy in Blue Is Disabled [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

If the Boy in Blue Is Disabled

By LAURA JEAN LIBBEY.

(Copyright, 1916.) Then they efaall know their friends though - much Will have teen lost-the help In strife. The thousand sweet, still joys- of such As, hand In hand, face earthly life. Among the many letters which come to me Is one which has touched my

heart deeply. It Is from one of our boys in £lue, a soldier, and Is In part as follows : “I am In sore distress of mind and am writing to you for not only consolatlno, but advice. While connected with the army at I met and loved a beautiful girl, our commander’s daughter. She returned my alToctlon, and It was settled that we should

wed. I was called upon for active duty across the border and that event ' has changed the course of my life, I believe, in several skirmishes I sured worse than my companions, being wounded twice. When I„ bade goodby to my sweetheart I was a stalwart fellow, as good to look upon as the general run of young men, ambitious to a fault, anxious to rise to the very height of what an army man may obtain as to position. “One of the wounds Is In the ankle which will leave me crippled for life. The other —an explosion—rhas so seamed and scarred my face that I am repulsive to look upon. The question Is, should I hold the girl I love better than ray life to marry me—if I am destined to return —or write her dissolving the bonds? I cannot bear the thought that she might look upon me with repugnance —that would be a living death to me. You are a womdn and understand the hearts of women better than almost any one else.

Will you tell me what I should do for her happiness nnd mine?” There are few sadder cases of the blasting of love’s young dream, but from one end of the world to the other there exists at the present moment many thousands of such cases which disabled soldiers are trying to fight out on their cots of pain. Unfortunately they do not understand the hearts or oobillty of women under such circumstances. With but few exceptions, when a young girl gives her heart to her lover It is not because of his madly beauty In face or form, his ambition to forge ahead. It Is his winning personality, that wondrous, inexplalnable attraction and influence which draws hearts Intended for each other together. Sorrow and misfortune make the object of a true woman’s affection doubly dear to her. A love that veers when so tested is not the grand, true kind upon which muu can build the hopes and trust of a lifetime. Before harboring the thought of parting; a man should throw himself upon the mercy and wishes of his sweetheart, leaving It with hor to decide. _______ Of the thousands of maimed soldiers abroad who have put this question up to their waiting sweethearts whom they left behind, I am glad, nay, proud, to say it has been vouched for that not one of the wounded heroes had cause to repent giving the strong, enduring love of his heart to the ten-der-hearted girl who In each Instance quickly wrote him that he need have no fear her heart could ever change, and that she would stand by her hero unto death. Such letters are life elixirs to the boys in blue facing the enemy’s shot and shell to guard their country’s honor. The dear loves at home nerve the soldier to do his best. What Joy to know that whatever woe betides him there are wide-stretched arms waiting to clasp him, a heart that is true as the stars of heaven. The love of a true woman cannot alter.